Group protests shark cull

Hundreds of animal activists attended the Warnbro shark protest on Saturday, uniting with more than 5000 people who attended a protest at Cottesloe, to object to the State Government’s shark cull policy.

Warnbro protest organiser Chloe Macdonald said she felt compelled to protest because she was outraged by the drum line deployment.

“I hate the shark kill policy — it’s terrible and heartbreaking,” she said.

Miss Macdonald believed the policy was an example of animal cruelty.

“I am hoping the State Government will put the money into research instead of murdering,” she said.

Warnbro resident and regular surfer Adele Webber said she failed to understand the policy.

“The policy is not fair, it’s just making the next generation scared of the water.”

Mrs Webber’s daughter, Caitlyn, 5, also disagreed with the policy.

“I don’t like sharks, but I don’t like killing any animals,” she said.

Waikiki resident Monique Keatley said her dad’s best friend was taken by a shark five years ago.

Miss Keatley said while losing a friend to a shark attack was hard, killing sharks was not the answer.

“We are totally against it — we love the ocean and all its creatures,” she said.

“It’s their territory and you enter the water at your own risk.”

Former Rockingham Greens candidate and Safety Bay resident Dawn Jecks said the shark cull plan was a poorly thought out “band-aid solution based on fear”.

“Previous reviews by the Department of Fisheries have found that the use of baited drum lines was unlikely to be effective and the risk for non-target by-catch was too great,” she said.

“The Government is elected to represent the wishes of the public majority who are saying loud and clear, no to the shark cull.”

Fisheries Minister Ken Baston defended the $1 million, four-month policy.

“The State has moved to provide increased protection from sharks at these popular beaches after seven fatalities in the past three years,” he said.

“The hooks and baits are of a size and type to target big sharks, not other marine animals.

“The drum lines will be placed 1km offshore, patrolled from 6am until 6pm and any by-catch will be released.”